Celebrate everything lavender on a special weekend throughout various locations in the Rogue and Applegate Valleys during the 11th annual Southern Oregon Lavender Festival. The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, June 21-23, and again July 12-14, and includes six family-run lavender destinations on the Southern Oregon Lavender Trail. Most farms offer U-pick lavender, lavender products and crafts, classes, essential oil distillation, lavender plants, treats, live music and more. Pick up a festival “passport” and visit each venue before July 31 to collect a stamp; turn your completed passport in at any farm to be entered to win a gift basket filled with lavender products. Passports available at all farms. For further details about the Lavender Trail, the festival and a map of participating locations, see southernoregonlavendertrail.com.

Join the Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument for a talk and hike about butterflies set for Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20.

Southern Oregon is home to almost 125 species of butterflies. Learn about some of them and the native plants they need.

Three presenters from Pollinator Project Rogue Valley will share their knowledge: David Lee Myers, Arti Kirch and Kristina Lefever.

The Friday talk is set for 6-7:30 p.m. at the Ashland Food Co-op, 300 N. Pioneer St. in Ashland, while the Saturday hike is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the monument.

Register at cascadesiskiyou.org. Call the organization at 541-378-3039.

Visit Roxy Ann Peak, help pull star thistle

Medford Parks and Recreation is beginning a new initiative to help limit the growth of the noxious weed star thistle on Roxy Ann Peak.

The new volunteer opportunity will take place 7-10 a.m. every Wednesday this summer. A support booth will be set up near the ADA parking lot at the top of Roxy Ann, providing gloves as well as information about the initiative.

For more information, check out the volunteer opportunities page on the city of Medford website.

Learn about Kalmiopsis Wilderness, join a work crew

Upcoming Siskiyou Mountain Club events include a presentation about the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and an overnight work crew outing to Babyfoot Lake:

• Learn about the rugged Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area during a presentation set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6, at 33 Third St. in Ashland.

Learn about the geology, history and fire history of the area. Get trip ideas, from day hikes to long backpacking trips. Stop by early and pick up the Kalmiopsis map.

The 180,000-acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness was first protected after the discovery of the rare and endemic Kalmiopsis leachiana flower. Many unique plant species thrive there.

• Spend the night at Babyfoot Lake and help improve the surrounding trail networks within a mile of the lake, from 7 a.m. July 8 to 7 p.m. July 9.

The lake itself is 1.5 miles from the trailhead, making for a good first overnight trip for beginners or people wanting to take in a more mellow volunteer weekend.

The flowers should be beginning to bloom, the views will be epic, and the cool glacial waters of this high mountain cirque will be refreshing.

Sign up by emailing alex@siskiyoumountainclub.org.

KS Wild events include hikes, bike ride

The public is invited to join the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center for upcoming events:

• A “steep and short” bicycle ride in the Soda Mountain area is set for 8 a.m. to noon Friday, July 5. The ride will be about 2,200 feet of ascent and descent over about 19 miles. The terrain is mostly double-track gravel roads with two bushwhacking sections.

• A Red Mountain wildflower hike of 4 miles is set for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6. Hike along a short section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

• A Hobart Bluff sunset hike is set for 7:30-10 p.m. Friday, July 12. The hike is 2.5 miles out and back along the Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

The outings leave from KS Wild offices at 562 A St. in Ashland. Register at kswild.org. Call Allee Gustafson for more information, 541-488-5789, ext. 1014.

Observatory events include bird banding, auto tour

Upcoming Klamath Bird Observatory events include bird banding on July 10 and an auto tour featuring birding and history on July 14:

• Join KBO scientists for a full day of immersive birding and learning in the Upper Klamath Lake region, from 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. July 10. Participants will observe bird banding up close with biologists and interns. There will be a bird walk, too. No birding experience is necessary.

Trip leaders are Lisa Michelbrink and Shannon Rio, KBO board members. Cost is $65. Space is limited.

• Join historian and author Jeff LaLande along with birders Frank Lospalluto and Stacy Taeuber for an auto tour featuring history and birding from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 14 along the Siskiyou Crest, including a short hike along the Pacific Crest Trail near Mt. Ashland.

Historic features include Railroad Tunnel No. 13, the old Siskiyou Pass, Grouse Gap shelter and the 1850s-1860s “Mountain House” stage stop. Other stops will feature the 1846 Applegate Trail and the Hill-Dunn cemetery.

Minimum donation is $50 per person. Space is limited. Participants will travel in a carpool caravan from the Ashland Rite Aid, 2341 Ashland St.

Register at klamathbird.org.

Help partnership collect native seeds

Join Rogue Native Plant Partnership in an effort to collect seeds from Camas, native bunchgrasses and other plants from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 12 on Roxy Ann Peak. No experience is necessary. All ages are welcome. Difficulty is moderate. The event is free.

The meeting location is the top parking lot at Roxy Ann Peak, also known as Prescott Park. The lot is along Roxy Ann Road, about 2.4 miles from Hillcrest Road.

Join Oregon Wild for hike to Union Creek, Rogue Gorge

Take a hike on July 13 to Union Creek and the Rogue Gorge with Oregon Wild. The 5.5-mile round-trip trek is moderate in difficulty. Details such as meeting times and location will be sent after registration. Suggested donation is $20 for non-members. Register at oregonwild.org.

Cities publish summer program guides

Summer program guides are available from the cities of Central Point, Medford and Ashland. They include information on senior, adult and youth programs, including classes, day camps, swim lessons, events and concerts.